Today we’d like to introduce you to Blake & Sarah Ziegler.
Hi Blake & Sarah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Diamond Fruit Farm began with a dream to create something meaningful for our family, our community, and future generations.
My wife Sarah and I both come from farming backgrounds and have always enjoyed working with animals and growing crops. Sarah grew up on a dairy farm, while I raised 4-H market hogs and spent much of my youth helping on my extended family’s farms. Agriculture was a significant part of our upbringing and helped shape many of the values we carry today.
After we got married and started our careers, we began saving with the goal of someday purchasing a property where we could share those same experiences with our children. Four years ago, we purchased our homestead and began transforming it into what is now Diamond Fruit Farm.
In the spring of 2023, we planted our orchard and began the long process of establishing the farm. Like many new farmers, we quickly learned that farming requires patience, perseverance, and a willingness to adapt. Building an orchard is an investment in the future—you plant trees knowing it will take years before they reach their full potential.
Along the way, we’ve experienced both the excitement and challenges that come with farming. Weather events, including late spring frosts, have tested us and reminded us that agriculture often requires faith, resilience, and a long-term perspective. Each season brings new lessons and opportunities to improve.
Today, Diamond Fruit Farm is a family-run U-Pick orchard focused on producing healthy, flavorful fruit while caring for the soil through regenerative farming practices. We believe healthy soil produces healthy plants, which in turn produce better fruit. Our goal is to steward the land in a way that leaves it better than we found it while creating a place where families can slow down, make memories, and enjoy the harvest together.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest realities of starting a farm is that many of the investments come years before the returns. Orchards require significant upfront investments in trees, infrastructure, irrigation, fencing, and equipment, while it can take several years before the trees begin producing meaningful crops. Patience is a necessity.
Weather has also been a major challenge. Like many fruit growers in Pennsylvania, we experienced severe late-spring frosts this year that eliminated our tree fruit and reduced our strawberry crop. When you’ve spent years planting, pruning, and caring for trees, it can be discouraging to see a crop lost in a single night.
Another challenge has been learning how to manage pests, diseases, and soil health in a way that aligns with our values. We are committed to regenerative farming practices that promote healthy soil biology, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability. That approach has required us to seek out creative solutions, learn from experienced growers, and draw on alternative sources of knowledge that share our philosophy.
While the challenges have been significant, they have also been some of our greatest teachers. Every obstacle has strengthened our commitment to stewarding the land well and creating something meaningful for our family and community.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Our primary focus is producing flavorful, nutrient-dense fruit in a way that supports soil health, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability. We believe healthy soil is the foundation of healthy plants, healthy food, and healthy communities. That philosophy influences many of the decisions we make on the farm, from encouraging beneficial soil biology and pollinator habitat to integrating livestock into our farming system.
What sets us apart is that we are intentionally building more than a place to buy fruit. We want Diamond Fruit Farm to be a place where families can slow down, spend time together, and experience agriculture firsthand. Many people today are several generations removed from the farm, and we want to help reconnect people with where their food comes from and the work that goes into producing it.
Because we are a smaller orchard, we are able to focus on quality and customer experience rather than simply maximizing production. We take pride in creating a peaceful, welcoming environment where visitors can enjoy the beauty of the countryside while picking fruit for their families.
What we’re most proud of is that Diamond Fruit Farm reflects our values. The name “Diamond” represents something precious, valuable, and worth investing in. We want our fruit, our land, and the experiences people have here to be lasting treasures. Every decision we make is guided by our desire to be good stewards of the resources we’ve been entrusted with and to leave the farm better for the next generation than we found it.
More than anything, we want readers to know that Diamond Fruit Farm is a labor of love. It’s a family project built around faith, hard work, and a desire to share the blessings of agriculture with others.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The best way people can support Diamond Fruit Farm is simply by visiting the farm and experiencing it for themselves. We invite families to come out during our U-Pick seasons, spend time together, enjoy the outdoors, and take home fresh fruit harvested directly from the source.
People can also support us by following our journey on social media, sharing our story with friends and family, and choosing to support local agriculture. Word of mouth has been one of the biggest reasons for our growth, and we are incredibly grateful for the customers who have encouraged others to visit.
We also enjoy connecting with other farmers, gardeners, educators, and organizations that share an interest in agriculture, stewardship, and regenerative farming. Farming is a lifelong learning process, and we believe some of the best ideas come through collaboration and shared experiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.diamondfruitfarm.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Diamond-Fruit-Farm-61560436211125/
